Angels in Ancient Judaism and Johannine Christianity The Case of the Interpreting Angel Dr Catrin Williams Revelation as Divine Communication • Visible and direct manifestation of God (theophanic). • Direct communication through God’s word (prophetic). • ‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us’ (incarnation). • Revelation via heavenly/angelic figure (apocalyptic). Angels and Apocalyptic • Apocalypse (Greek: • Human seer or apokalypsis): visionary disclosure [of that • Dreams and visions which is hidden]. • Symbolism and • Apocalyptic and Mythology eschatology • Decipherment by an (teaching of ‘the last otherworldly/heavenl things’). y figure: the angelus interpres. The Interpreting Angel • Messengers of divine knowledge from the world above. • Mysteries that remain hidden from human beings. • This knowledge can only be disclosed (and elucidated) by angels. • Agents of revelation, heavenly expositors; their angelic identity underlines the transcendent character of the revealed knowledge. Zechariah: ‘The angel who spoke with me’ • Cycle of seven dream- visions. • Interpreting angel explains the visions to the prophet. • Explanation in the form of allegorical interpretation of the vision’s imagery. • Bridging the distance between above and below. First Night Vision The word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah, who said: ‘In the night I saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen; and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses. Then I said, “What are these, my lord?” The angel who talked with me said to me, I will show you what they are”. So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, “They are those whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth….. Then the Lord replied with gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. So the angel who talked with me said to me, “Proclaim this message…”(Zechariah 1:7-15) Daniel: an Early Apocalypse ‘As for me, Daniel, my ‘As for these four great spirit was troubled within beasts, four kings shall me, and the visions of my arise out of the earth. head terrified me. I But the holy ones of the approached one of the Most High shall receive (angelic) attendants to ask the kingdom and him the truth concerning possess the kingdom all this. So he said that he for ever – for ever and would disclose to me the ever’ (7:17-18). interpretation of the matter’ (7:15-16) Later (noncanonical) Jewish Apocalypses • Interpreting angels • Revelation through the serves as guides medium of dreams and through the various visions, disclosed by an heavens during their interpreting angel otherworldly journeys. (Raphael, Raguel, • Uriel guides Enoch Michael, Uriel). through various cosmic • Circumstances scenes (I Enoch 72-82). • Description of the vision • Request for interpretation • See also 2 Enoch, • Interpretation by an angel Apocalypse of • Reaction of the seer Abraham. Johannine Christianity • The Book of Revelation • The Book of (‘the Apocalypse’) is full Revelation of interpreting angels • 1-3 John (10:1; 11:1; 17:1, 7- • The Gospel of John 19;19:9 ), even the risen Jesus (1:20), who elucidate shadowy visions – often through ‘showing’. • What about the Gospel of John? John’s Gospel: Where are the angels? ‘Very truly I tell you, you Mary stood weeping will see heaven opened outside the tomb. As and the angels of God she wept, she bent over ascending and to look into the tomb; descending upon the Son and she saw two angels of Man’ (John 1:51) in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and one at the feet (John 20:11-12). John: Apocalypse in Reverse • Revelation is not accessed through heavenly ascents or dreams/visions of that which is above. • The revealer has come to earth; revelation is found in Jesus, the stranger from heaven. Apocalyptic Motif in John: Two-Stage Revelation • Two levels of • ‘His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when understanding linked to Jesus was glorified, then they two different time remembered that these things periods: had been written of him and had been done to him’ (John 12:16). • Jesus’ earthly life (pre- Easter) – shadowy and • ‘I have said these things to you obscure while I am still with you. But the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom • After Jesus’ the Father will send in my resurrection (post- name, will teach you everything, Easter) – clear and and remind you of all that I have said to you’ (John 14:25-26). open. The Spirit-Paraclete and/as the Interpreting Angel • New understanding) comes through the Spirit. • Revelation in two stages: decoding by a divinely authorised emissary. • The role of interpreter is assigned not to an angel but to the Holy Spirit. • The opaque (riddling) words and deeds of Jesus, the stranger from heaven, are made open for those with eyes to see. Bringing Revelation to Remembrance: Angels > Spirit While the women were perplexed (about the empty tomb), suddenly ‘I have said these two men in dazzling clothes stood things to you while I beside them. The women were am still with you. But terrified and bowed their faces to the Paraclete, the the ground, but the men said to Holy Spirit, whom the them, ‘Why do you look for the Father will send in my living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. Remember name, will teach you how he told you, while he was still everything, and in Galilee, that the Son of Man remind you of all that I must … be crucified and on the have said to you’ third day rise again’. Then they (John 14:25-26). remembered his words. (Luke 24:4-8) Unveiling Revelation: Angels > Spirit I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will disclose to you (Greek: anangelei humin) the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and disclose it to you (anangelei humin). All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and disclose it to you (anangelei humin)’. (John 16:12-15). Disclosure of Hidden Revelation • The verb anangellô is ‘At the beginning of your common in apocalyptic supplication, a word went out texts: ‘reveal/ and I [Gabriel] and I have come to disclose it to you disclose/unveil’ the (anangelei soi)’ (Daniel hidden meaning of a 9:23). dream or mystery ‘I will disclose to you (visual or aural). (anangellô soi) what is inscribed in the book of truth…. And now I will disclose the truth to you’ (Daniel 10:21; 11:2). ‘Old’ and ‘New’ Revelation Interpretations of previously • The Johannine Spirit fulfils encountered visions (e.g. a similar twofold role as ‘remembering’) and the the interpreting angel: he disclosure of ‘new’ revelation interprets already existing (‘disclosing’): ‘I [the revelation and discloses revealing angel] will show what has so far not been you the heavenly mysteries; I have been sent before you revealed. [Baruch] so that I should • The Spirit is a heavenly disclose (anangellô) and being sent by God; he show you all the things of enables recipients to gain God’ (3 Baruch 1:4). insight within the earthly sphere. .